Gym workout plan
Push Pull Legs Workout Plan
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
- Days
- 3 or 6 days a week
- Session
- 60–75 min
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Full gym
The short answer
A push/pull/legs (PPL) split trains pushing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) on one day, pulling muscles (back, biceps) on the next and legs on the third. Run the three days once a week (3 days) or twice (6 days). Each session below has 5–6 exercises at 3 sets of 6–15 reps, with 1–3 minutes of rest, and you add weight once you hit the top of each rep range.
01 / Who it’s for
Who this plan is for
- Lifters with a few months of training who want a clear structure and can train at least 3 days a week.
- People who like shorter, focused sessions for one group of muscles at a time.
- Anyone who can train 6 days: the 6-day version hits every muscle twice a week, which a meta-analysis found better for muscle growth than once a week.
Probably not the best fit if
- Complete beginners on 3 days a week: each muscle is only trained once a week that way. The full body plan or the beginner gym plan trains everything more often.
- Anyone who often misses sessions: miss leg day and your legs go two weeks without training. A full body or upper/lower plan is more forgiving.
02 / Schedule
Weekly schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Push |
| Tue | Pull |
| Wed | Legs |
| Thu | Rest (3-day) · Push (6-day) |
| Fri | Rest (3-day) · Pull (6-day) |
| Sat | Rest (3-day) · Legs (6-day) |
| Sun | Rest |
On 3 days, spread the sessions out if you prefer (for example Mon, Wed, Fri). On 6 days, keep one full rest day each week. If 6 days is too much to recover from, go back to 3 or 4 days (push, pull, legs, then start the next round on the next training day).
03 / The workouts
The workouts
Warm-up
- 5 minutes of easy cardio (bike, rower or brisk walk) to get warm.
- For the first exercise of the day, do 2–3 lighter warm-up sets: for example an empty bar or about 50% of your working weight for 8 reps, then about 70% for 3–5 reps.
- Later exercises that use the same muscles usually need only one light "feeler" set.
Push
Chest, shoulders, triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Standing Barbell Shoulder PressOr seated dumbbell shoulder press. | 3 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Lateral Dumbbell Raises | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s |
| Rope Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| Skull Crusher | 2 | 10–12 | 60–90 s |
Pull
Back, rear shoulders, biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight PullupsOr lat pulldown if you can’t do 6 yet. | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Bent Over Rows | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Seated Cable Rows | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s |
| Cable Rear Delt Flyes | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curls | 3 | 10–12 | 60 s |
| Alternate Hammer Curl | 2 | 10–12 | 60 s |
Legs
Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squats | 3 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Barbell RDL (Romanian Deadlift) | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s |
| Lying Leg Curls | 3 | 10–12 | 60–90 s |
| Smith Machine Calf Raises | 3 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| Plank | 3 | 30–45 s | 45 s |
Tap any exercise for step-by-step form cues and the muscles it works.
04 / How hard
How hard to train
- Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range with good form and about 1–3 reps in reserve (you could have done 1–3 more). Beginners should stay nearer 3 until technique is solid. See reps in reserve.
- Rest the time shown. Longer rest on the big lifts helps you keep your reps up; you can shorten it on small isolation exercises.
- Stop a set when your form breaks down, not when you hit a number.
05 / Progression
Progression rules
- Use double progression. Keep the weight the same and add reps each session until you reach the top of the rep range on every set.
- Then add weight. Once you hit the top of the range on all sets, ideally in two sessions in a row, add the smallest step you can: roughly 2–5% (often 1–2.5 kg / 2.5–5 lb on upper-body lifts, a little more on squats and deadlifts). Drop back to the bottom of the rep range and build up again.
- Progress one thing at a time. More weight or more reps, not both, and never at the cost of form.
- If you stall for 2–3 sessions on a lift, check sleep, food and stress first. If those are fine, take a lighter week (about half the sets, same weights) and then carry on. See deload.
- On the 6-day version you repeat each session twice a week. Use the same weights both times; if the second session of the week feels much harder, keep the reps the same rather than forcing a jump.
This plan is general fitness guidance, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, an injury, are pregnant or are new to exercise and unsure, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first. Stop any exercise that causes sharp or joint pain.
06 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is push/pull/legs good for beginners?
It works, but on 3 days a week it trains each muscle only once a week. Most beginners do better with a plan that trains everything 2–3 times a week, such as the beginner gym plan or the 3-day full body plan. Move to PPL once you train regularly and want more exercises per muscle.
Should I run push/pull/legs 3 or 6 days a week?
Start with 3 if you are new to the split or short on time. Six days gives each muscle two sessions a week, which research links to more muscle growth than one, but only if you can recover. If your lifts drop or you feel run-down, go back to 3 or 4 days.
Where do deadlifts go in a PPL split?
This plan uses the Romanian deadlift on leg day because it trains the hamstrings and glutes. If you want the conventional deadlift, put it first on pull day for 3 sets of 4–6 and drop the bent-over row to 2 sets so the session doesn’t get too long.
How long should a push/pull/legs workout take?
About 60–75 minutes with warm-ups and the rest times shown. If you are short on time, cut the last exercise of each session first.
Can I add abs or cardio?
Yes. Add 2–3 sets of a core exercise at the end of any session, and do cardio on rest days or after lifting. The WHO recommends adults also get 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017;35(11):1073-1082.
- Haff GG, Triplett NT, eds. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (NSCA). 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2016.
- World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. 2020.
More workout plans
- 4 days a weekUpper/lower splitFour days a week: two upper-body and two lower-body sessions, every muscle twice.
- 3 days a week3-day full bodyTwo alternating full body sessions, three days a week. The best all-round starting plan.
- 3 days a weekBeginner gym planYour first 8–12 weeks in the gym: 3 short full body days with machines and dumbbells.
Terms used in this plan
Read more
- The 4 Types of Workout Split (And How to Choose the Best One for You)The full-body. Upper and lower. Push pull legs. And individual body parts. Of these 4, which workout split is the best? Find out in this article.6 min read
- How to Build Muscle Faster in the Gym with Progressive Overload & DeloadingWhile there are no shortcuts, there are two methods you can use to build muscle more effectively: progressive overload and appropriate deloading.5 min read
- Should You Be Training to Failure? (New 2024 Research)We last talked about training to failure in 2019. It's now 2024! Five whole years have passed — what's new? Has our stance changed? Answers here.5 min read
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